Dr. Brian Martin Murphy, the chair and associate professor in the communication studies department at Niagara University, has passed away unexpectedly of natural causes. Murphy had been a member of Niagara's faculty since 1999.

Several students in Tom Destino's heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration program were recently recognized for their hard work and dedication at the end of the year ceremony at the Niagara Career and Technical Education Center. Kevin Dillion, Michael Greaser, Kyle Hanes and Korey Kelly were awarded scholarships.

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, Office of Public Safety and the Niagara University First Responders Disability Awareness Training Office have announced a series of "Disability Awareness Training for Law Enforcement" train the trainer courses. This series of courses is designed specifically for police officers.

Niagara University students Nicholas Barth and Christine Brumfield have been awarded academic scholarships from Tourism Cares, the tourism industry's premier charitable organization for preservation, conservation, restoration and education.

Houghton College and Smart Energy Capital have signed a power purchase agreement for the college to purchase solar electricity from a 2.5 megawatt solar system located on campus. Houghton College will become a site for the one of the largest solar systems on a college campus in New York.

Congressman Brian Higgins, NY-26, is urging leadership in the House of Representatives to act quickly to prevent college student loan rates from doubling. The current interest rate under the Federal Direct Student Loan Program is 3.4 percent. That number is expected to increase to 6.8 percent on July 1, unless preventative action is taken.

The Niagara University Board of Trustees recently approved the creation of an Office of International Relations, which will provide a central point of contact for international students studying at NU and domestic students seeking global experiences.

State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-I-60, was joined today by representatives of the District Parent Coordinating Council, Buffalo ReformEd, and other community leaders to urge the State Assembly to act on two pieces of legislation that he said would increase parents' involvement and save taxpayers money in the City of Buffalo.

Samendra Prasad, one of the University at Buffalo's Gifted Math Program high-achieving 2013 graduates, will enter his freshman year at the University of Virginia with seven years of college-level math education already under his belt.

Jaekyung Lee, professor of counseling, school and educational psychology at the University at Buffalo, and a fellow of the prestigious American Educational Research Association, has been appointed dean of the UB Graduate School of Education after a national search. He had served as interim dean since July.

Lewiston-Porter Intermediate School's Flag Day ceremony will take place starting at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, June 14. Featured will be representatives of the armed forces, as well as veterans from different branches of the service.

"The school is the most important part of our community, and we need to invest in our children's education," said Lewiston Porter Board of Education President Jodee Riordan. "We've asked for a very modest increase, and it is solely about the cuts we've taken from New York state.

The Wheatfield Business Association awarded three scholarships during its May 20 meeting at the Walmore Inn. The recipients of the 2013 scholarships are, from left, Kirsten Scherrer, Nilab Hussain and Christopher Galvano.

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University held a volunteer awards luncheon at the Como Restaurant. The awards are in memory of the CAM's long-time volunteer coordinator and museum shop manager Anne LaBarbera.

The University at Buffalo's Center for Literacy and Reading Instruction, or CLaRI, will mark its 50th year of helping children read, write and gain confidence in their academic skills with a conference and alumni gathering that celebrates its timeless theme of literacy.

The anniversary weekend will open with a reunion of current literacy students and alumni from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, June 28, in the Buffalo Marriott Niagara, 1340 Millersport Highway, Amherst.

The Lewiston-Porter Board of Education voted to bring a $39,647,771 proposed budget, featuring a 3.95 percent tax levy increase, to the voters on Tuesday, June 18. A public budget hearing will be held Tuesday, June 11, at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Resource Center.

The United States-United Kingdom Fulbright Commission has selected Dylan Burns, a sophomore architect major at the University at Buffalo, to participate in its Fulbright Summer Institute to study at Nottingham Trent University.

Three votes sent the Niagara-Wheatfield Board of Education back to calculators to find a tax levy that the residents will live with, and emotions ran high as the next steps were presented to a large gathering of residents on May 22.

YMCA Camp Kenan is offering residence and day camps to give kids and teens across Western New York an adventurous, active and healthy summer. YMCA camp programs offer youth fun and unique experiences with an opportunity to explore the outdoors, meet new friends, discover new interests and create memories that last a lifetime.

State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-I-60, announced Wednesday the Senate has passed bill S.868, which calls for moving the election of members of the City of Buffalo School Board from May to November, a measure that he says will improve voter turnout and save taxpayers money.

The University at Buffalo is among six public research universities from across the country recognized in a new report by the New America Foundation for "embracing key strategies that make them models for national reform."

When someone loses a loved one, it seems nothing is right with the world. The sorrow that follows can be debilitating for anyone, and grief for a child can be a confusing process. Whether it's the death of a parent, grandparent, sibling or a special friend, dealing with the loss is beyond the experience of most children. Their reaction is often overlooked in the activity surrounding the death.

State University of New York Empire State College will hold public information sessions about its associate and bachelor's degree programs at its Niagara Frontier Center, Appletree Business Park, 2875 Union Road, Cheektowaga.